Karaoke has proven to be a popular form of entertainment. Traditionally, karaoke is the performance of popular songs to a pre-recorded instrumental soundtrack (i.e. there are no lead vocals on the track). Often the lyrics of the song will be played along with the audio track, and will be highlighted or scrolled at the correct time and tempo to make it easier for the singer to follow along. Although generally done at a karaoke bar or at a party or other event, karaoke has grown in popularity in others venues, such as in automobiles (i.e. “in-car karaoke”).
In-car karaoke is an extremely popular form of entertainment in Japan. Instead of just singing along to songs on the radio or in-car entertainment system, drivers will often playback karaoke tracks while driving and sing along. There are a number of disadvantages of in-car karaoke that have prevented it from penetrating the mainstream. One disadvantage is the potential distraction to the driver if there is a need to follow along with visually presented lyrics. For safety, it is important to minimize driver distraction during automobile operation. But without guide lyrics, it is often difficult for an amateur performer to properly follow along and sing at the right times and tempo.
Another disadvantage is the need to provide karaoke ready recordings for use in the car. Pre-recorded karaoke tracks are relatively expensive and must be compiled in some re-playable format and source (i.e. cd-rom, tape, mp3 player, etc.) to be available in a car. This requires advance preparation and can remove some of the spontaneity from enjoying in-car karaoke.
The driver can abandon prerecorded karaoke tracks, and sing along with music, whether from mp3, FM, CD, or satellite radio, but this is not quite the same as Karaoke. The vocals of the recorded artist can overwhelm the vocals of the karaoke singer and diminish the performance experience.